Method of making arch-type conduits



Sept- 27, 1949- F. 1 cARswELl. ETAL MTHOD OF MKING ARCH-TYPE C ONDUITS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 4, 1946 IN1/EN T0123,

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METHOD OF MAKING ARCH-TYPE CONDUITS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 4, 194e wm Nw a 0f www www nd. .Ww @f .Ww Z. v

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Filed March 4, 1946 F. l.. cARswELl.v ET AL 2,483,001

METHOD QF MAKING ARCH-TYPE CONDUITS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept 27, 1949- F. cA'RswELl. ET AL 2,483,001

METHOD OF MAKING ARCH-TYPE CONDUITS Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITED METHOD F MAKING ARCH-TYPEv CONDUITS Firman L. Carswell and Otto W. Schmidt, Kansas City, Mo.

Application March 4, 1946, Serial No. 651,805v

8 Claims.

This invention relates to the method of making archtype culi/erts and has particular reference to -circumferentially, corrugated, metal arch-type conduits.

The principal object of the :present invention is the method of forming an arch-type culvert .by applying pressure to the inside Walls oi a cylindrical metal tube whereby it is distorted to present an arch-type cond-uit.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a method of forming arch-type culverts by applying internal pressure to the inside wall of a cylindrical metal tube in substantially opn posite diametricall'y disposed points whereby the tube is transversely elongated on its horizontal axial plane and shortened on its vertical diameter to form an arch-typey conduit.

VA further object of the invention is the provision of a method for making arch-type conduits which comprises first forming a substantially cylindrically, corrugated, metal tube, positioning a pair of movable convex Yforms inside said tube and applying pressure to said forms whereby they are caused to move in substantially opposite directions against the wall of said tube whereby the tube is elongated transversely along its horizontal diameter and simultaneously shortened along its vertical diameter, and limiting the downward movement of the upper arch of said tube as the lower portion of the tube is tensioned to form a relatively flat bottom.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of carrying out the method, eiilciency and accuracy of the method, and adaptability for use in the formation of non-curved, non-circular culverts of various cross sections.

With these objects in View, asv well as other objects which will. appear during the course of the specification wherein reference is had tomeans for carrying out the methods which are shown in the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an end elevation oi' the apparatus with the forms retracted to receive a substantially circular tube thereabout as shown.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the apparatus with the forms extended and the corrugated tube shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line III-III' oiv Figure 2. g

Y Z apparatus with a tube shown in the suspended position ready for forming.

Fig, 5 is asectional View Vof the apparatus taken on irregular line V-V of Figure 3.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic View showing the feed and exhaust pipes toi and from the hydraulic rains.

Throughout the several views like reference characters refer to similar parts and the numeral IB designates a frame having a base l2 on which is mounted a standard I 4 adjacent its one end. A horizontally' disposed composite beam l-B is supported on top of said standard to extend the full' length of the base and is secured at its end adjacent said standard by means of downwardly' diverging bars l1 which respectively engage the outer extremities of the base. The mai-n body of the beam Hi extends above base I2, is substantially parallel with, and is adapted to receive a tubular member thereabout for forming.

Beam i6 is preferably made up of a heavy I- beam l8- provided with a lighter I-beam 20 which has its lower lia-nge 22 securely attached to the upper flange Vof I-beam I 8. Securely welded to the lower ange of beam i8 is a series of bars t9 which serve as tracks and extend at right angles to the beam. Similar series are positioned on opposite sides of the beam and are adapted to receiveV rollers for support-moving forms by means of which the cylindrical tube is formed.

Series of forms 2i! and 25 are disposed on opposite sides respectively of said beam i8 and' each form comprises' a pair of transversely disposed parallel members 28 joined together by channel irons angle irons and arcuate pla-tc 3d. The cuter edge of each :of the members 28` is shaped to conform to the inner contour 0f the conduit when it is fully extended by the power applied to the forms. It will be noted that the channel irons, angle irons and arcuate plates joiningv these parallel members together are disposed in parallel relation to the I-beam t8 and have their outer faces flush with the outer edges of the parallel members 28, thus serving to contact the inner corrugations 92 of the circumferentially corrugated tube duringv the forming' operation.

Instead of using spaced apart connecting members, continuous plates might be used to bear' The lower portion of members 28 each have an ear 3e carrying stud 38 on which is mounted a roller 40 which rests on one of the tracks I9. The upper free ends of members 28 have slots 42 which are disposed in parallel relation with the track bars I9 sc that the form is adapted to move at substantially right angles t the beam and in a horizontal plane.

The length of the forms 24 may vary, furthermore, the number of forms of each side of the beam may be such as to make it possible to simultaneously form a conduit of any desired length. In the drawings we have shown but two forms on each side; each form is powered by two hydraulic jacks d@ which are respectively positioned adjacent opposite ends of the form with their cylinder portions 6 pivoted at 49 to transverse ribs i3 positioned between the upper and lower flanges of I-beam I8 and with its piston rod l pivcted at 53 to a pair of plates 56 secured to spaced apart angle irons 32 and arcuate plate 34. These jacks are so mounted that they are substantially parallel with the tracks I9 and are pivoted at their opposite ends to permit slight up and down movement of the form relative to the frame during the forming operation.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be noted that the members 28 of forms 24 and 26 overlap and are slidably secured together by pins 52 passing through slots 42 and which are anchored to ears 55 formed integral with beam 2E). For rigidly supporting the upper portion of the forms the members are adapted to rest upon the upper ange of beam 20 as shown.

The forms 2Q and 26 are each provided with a tension spring 56 attached at 58 to the outer portion of the form and at 6B to the beam I8, and are so tensioned that when the pressure is released in the jacks they will function to exhaust the jack cylinders and move the forms back to the normal position, shown in Figure 1, for receiving a tube for forming.

Referring to Figure 1 it will be noted that a channel member 9d is positioned on top of the beam 20 and cooperates with the forms 2li and 26 to maintain the upper portions of the conduit in an arched form. The lower portions of the form are spaced apart a relatively great distance whereby that portion of the tube being formed is tensioned and pulled to a relatively fiat form to form the bottom of the conduit.

The jacks are operated by fluid pressure as shown in Figure 6. A pressure feed pipe 62 leads from any suitable fluid pressure means and is controlled by threeway valves 64 and 66 which regulate the flow of the fluid pressure to and from the jack cylinders 44. Pipes 68, 'lil and l2 connect feed pipe 62 with the four jacks which operate the rst pair of forms 2d and 26, and pipes M, it and 'i3 connect the feed pipe to the four jacks which operate the second set of forms 24 and 28. Valves 6d and t5 are independently operable so that two or all the forms may be simultaneously operated. As indicated, the valves are set to feed pressure fluid to the jack cylinders. By throwing the valve levers 80 the feed pipe will be closed to the cylinders and the exhaust pipe 82 will be connected with all the cylinders so that the springs 56 will be permitted to contract to force the fluid from the cylinders and retract the forms 2li and 26. It is quite apparent that any desired number of sets of forms might be operated in this manner to form concorrugated tube T is suspended by two slings 84 which engage hooks 86 suspended from a wheeled carriage 88 longitudinally adjustable on track 90. This carriage support permits the easy movement of the tube to the proper position over the forms. These slings may be left in position during the forming operation and after the forms are retracted the conduit will take a form due to the release of the form pressure so that it can be supported by said slings and removed from the apparatus while suspended on the track.

During the conduit forming operation it will be observed that inner corrugations 92 rest against the forms to insure the proper arching of the tube, also the channel irons 94 secured on the top flange of beam 23 on the vertical, central line of the tube is of a proper predetermined height to limit the downward movement of the arch during the forming operation. To strengthen the conduit, sharp curves at the opposite sides of the conduit are provided. These sharp curves also make it possible to provide a wide base for the conduit to carry a large volume of water adjacent the bottom of the conduit.

The forms 2li and 26 are so constructed that they function to contact and curve the major upper portion of the pipe, and are spaced apart at their lower portions a relatively great distance so that that portion of the tube therebetween is put under tension and pulled to a relatively ilat form to produce a substantially flat bottom for the conduit.

The application of pressure to the inside of the corrugated tube may be varied from the structure shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention and hence we do not wish to limit ourselves to the exact construction herein set forth.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

l. The method of making a corrugated archtype culvert which comprises rst forming a substantially cylindrically shaped, circumferentially corrugated, metal tube, applying pressure in a plane parallel to and spaced from the axis of said tube to the inner wall of said tube to broaden the arch of the portion of said tube opposite said force plane and to tension the portion of said tube adjacent said force plane whereby it is formed to produce a relatively ilat portion.

2. rlhe method of making a corrugated, archtype culvert which comprises rst forming a substantially cylindrically shaped, circumferentially corrugated, metal tube, applying pressure to the inner wall of said tube in a plane parallel to and beneath the axis of said tube to force the upper portion of the tube into arcuate shape of relatively small radius and simultaneously to iiatten the lower portion of the tube wall to produce a relatively iiat bottom section of greater radius.

3. The method of making a corrugated archtype conduit comprising applying pressure to the opposite inner walls of a substantially cylindrical, corrugated tube in a plane parallel to and spaced below the axis of said tube whereby it is transversely elongated along its major horizontal plane and foreshortened at its vertical central plane to form a conduit having a relatively sharply arched upper portion and a reiatively flat arched bottom portion.

4. The method of making an arch-type culvert which comprises rst applying an internal expanding pressure to a cylindrical metal tube in a plane parallel to but spaced below the horizontal axial plane of said tube whereby the crosssection of said tube is lengthened horizontally and shortened vertically and applying an internal pressure to said tube transversely to the plane of said expanding pressure and Yat the upper portion of said tube to limit the inward movement of said upper tube portion, whereby a culvert is produced having a relatively sharply arched top portion and a relatively flat arched bottom portion.

5. The method of producing a tube having in cross-section an arched portion and a relatively at connecting portion between the ends of said arched portion, comprising exerting an expanding pressure against substantially opposite internal walls of a deformable cylindrical tube along generating lines of said tube lying in a plane spaced apart from the axis of said tube in the direction of said relatively at connecting portion.

6. The method of making an arch-type tube from a cylindrical metal tube comprising applying an outward force against the opposite inner walls of said tube along lines lying in a single plane parallel with and spaced apart from the axis of said tube to deform the portions of said tube at opposite sides of said face plane in unequal degrees.

7. The method of making an arch type tube from a cylindrical tube comprising applying an outward force against the opposite inner walls of said tube along generating lines of said tube lying in a single plane parallel to and spaced apart from the axis of said tube, to deform said tube to present a relatively flat section along one side thereof.

6 8. The method of making an arch-type tube comprising applying internal pressure to substantially opposite sides of a cylindrical tube in a single plane only, said plane being spaced slightly below a horizontal axial plane of said tube to form an arch-type culvert whereby the tube portion below and between the lines of application of said pressure is tensioned to form a relatively flat section in said tube. Y

FIRMAN L. CARSWELL.

OTI'O W. SCHMIDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 97,549 Pierce Dec. 7, 1869 756,832 Cleveland Apr. 12, 1904 823,711 Thielmann June 19, 1906 1,048,153 Haight Dec. 24, 1912 1,086,593 Goddard Feb. 10, 1914 1,435,679 Young Nov. 14, 1922 1,825,081 McKay Sept. 29, 1931 2,075,626 Schlesinger Mar. 30, 1937 2,202,743 Miller May 28, 1940 2,316,839 Claybaugh Apr. 20, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 156,385 Great Britain Jan. 13, 1921 346,455 Germany Jan. 2, 1922 427,661 Great Britain Apr. 29, 1935 

